Justice Maraga Lands A Temporary International Job In Rwanda
Former Chief Justice David Maraga is leading a formidable team of 14 EAC Election Observation Teams to oversee Rwanda’s upcoming General Election.
The election, scheduled for Monday, July 15, 2024, is a watershed moment for the Republic of Rwanda and the wider East African region.
The EAC mission was officially launched on Friday, July 12, by the EAC Secretary General, Veronica Nduva, at the Mission Headquarters in Kigali.
📍 🇷🇼 Today I officially launched and deployed the EAC observer mission of the Rwanda Elections 2024. I also handed over the team to head of observer mission Hon. Chief Justice (emeritus) David Maraga. I take the opportunity to wish the Republic of Rwanda a successful election. pic.twitter.com/cIj265vn2v
— Veronica M. Nduva, CBS (@SGNduva) July 12, 2024
Maraga stated that the observation teams will be deployed in all 30 districts of Rwanda’s four provinces and the city of Kigali.
Since arriving in Kigali on July 8, 2024, the observers have met with a variety of electoral stakeholders to gain a better understanding of the election preparations.
This included learning about regional and international election observation principles, practices, and ethics.
Maraga emphasized that an advance team from the EAC had previously conducted a thorough assessment of Rwanda’s electoral readiness.
Their findings influenced the strategies for the entire mission, ensuring a comprehensive approach to election observation.
The EAC Observer Mission, which consists of 55 members from the EAC Partner States and the East African Legislative Assembly, is tasked with evaluating electoral stakeholders’ preparedness and participation.
They will also assess compliance with electoral laws, principles, and practices at the international, regional, and national levels.
President Paul Kagame, who has led Rwanda for 24 years, is running for a fourth term in the upcoming election.
Kagame’s campaign was extensive, with a national tour that visited over 30 cities and villages before culminating in a massive rally in Kigali.
Despite facing only two opponents, Kagame’s primary challenger remains a minor threat, having received only 1% of the vote in the previous election.
The observers will also look for compliance with democratic principles outlined in the EAC Treaty.
Their objective recommendations are intended to improve the conduct of future elections. The observation teams plan to return to Kigali on July 16, 2024.
The preliminary findings of the mission will be released in a statement on July 17, 2024, with the mission wrapping up and departing Rwanda on July 18, 2024.
Maraga stated that the pre-election environment in Rwanda has been generally calm, demonstrating the country’s political stability and effective electoral management.
He thanked Rwanda’s political leaders, citizens, and electoral institutions for their contributions to maintaining peace.
A successful election, Maraga emphasized, would be a victory not only for Rwanda but also for the East African Community.
Justice Maraga Lands A Temporary International Job In Rwanda
